Gov. Christie uses state police copter in stop at son's game in Montvale [photos]

Governor Christie and his wife used a state police helicopter to swoop in and catch a few innings of their son’s baseball game in Montvale on Tuesday before flying off again.

Christie had no public schedule of events Tuesday, but said he needed to fly to Montvale.

“I came from a meeting and I’m heading to another meeting,” Christie said before police drove him a short distance to the waiting helicopter. Both of those meetings were in Trenton, Christie said.

Christie was scheduled to meet late Tuesday with Republican supporters who had flown from Iowa to talk presidential politics with the governor, presumably impressed with his tough talk and tight spending. That meeting was to take place at the governor’s mansion in Princeton.

A spokesman for the governor, Michael Drewniak, would not say if Christie had used the state police helicopter to fly back for the political meeting.

In a short statement, Drewniak defended Christie’s use of the helicopter.

“It is a means of transportation that is occasionally used as the schedule demands,” he said. “This has historically been the case in prior administrations as well, and we continue to be judicious in limiting its use.”

The helicopter carrying Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, landed on the 20-yard line of the football field on the St. Joseph Regional High School campus. Christie was there to see the second-round state playoff game between the Green Knights of St. Joseph Regional High School and Green Wave of the Delbarton School of Morristown.

The Christies’ son Andrew, No. 24, is the Delbarton catcher.

Christie stood in the stands behind first base, the visitors’ side, while the helicopter sat idle.

Delbarton was winning 5-1 around 6 p.m., when Christie left at the end of the fifth inning. Delbarton won the game, 7-2.

The governor and first lady climbed into a black Ford Crown Victoria and were driven from the top of a hill near the western end zone and were driven down to a gate at the other end of the football field where three Montvale police cruisers were parked.

Reactions to the governor’s drop-in appearance were mixed, and opinions varied largely on what side of baseball diamond they came from.

Along the third base line, Montvale’s side, spectators questioned the expense and necessity of the helicopter ride. Some were happy to see him at the game regardless of his entrance.

Along the first-base line, some said they had no problem with the governor using a state helicopter to watch a high school baseball game.

Whatever their take, few people who offered opinions agreed to gave their names. Dennis Anderson, who was standing behind first base, was an exception.

The governor’s entrance was “phenomenal,” Anderson said. “It’s nice for him to get to watch half a baseball game.”

Governors and helicopters often make for political trouble.

Democrat Jim Florio’s use of a state-owned helicopter was held up as an example of government waste by his Republican successor, Christie Whitman. She vowed to convert the governor’s helicopter into a medical evacuation unit.

Whitman later used the helicopter herself to fly from Atlantic City to Sea Girt to Cherry Hill on state business, citing a busy schedule. Democratic critics called her “the flying hypocrite.”

Gov. James E. McGreevey was forced to reimburse the state for dozens of non-official trips he took in state helicopters, including one to a wedding.